Symphony Prelude and the Imprisoned Girl
by SkyWriter2012
Summary: Symphony Prelude is the new girl at Bloor's. She hates the school but has to attend 'cause she's endowed. She meets Charlie Bone, and things look up. But when she discovers a girl hidden in the West Wing, she must to everything she can to save her. FidelioXOC,


**Okay new fanfic...although this is my first in the books section! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS, OTHER THAN SYMPHONY AND THE PLOT. EVERYTHING ELSE BELONGS RIGHTFULLY TO JENNY NIMMO.**

Chapter One: The Voice behind the Door

Symphony Prelude gulped as she sat impatiently in an uncomfortable in a chair whilst her father spoke to an intimidating man, as to say the least.

'Is she endowed in any particular way?' The man asked.

Mr. Prelude looked at his daughter, giving her a silent signal to answer the Headmaster. 'Yes, Dr. Bloor, sir.' She said softly.

Dr. Bloor raised a dark eyebrow, 'How so?'

Symphony thought as to what her father had told her earlier. '_Dr. Bloor can be very intimidating. He will ask if you're endowed – you must agree. However, you have every right to decide whether you would like him to know how or not_.'

'I-I'd rather not say, sir.'

Dr. Bloor gave a soft chuckle, 'Symphony, dear, I don't bite! But nonetheless, it is not to my concern – however you cannot keep it a secret forever, mind you.'

Symphony nodded once as her father and Dr. Bloor continued her enrollment conversation. Her mind drifted and the lights began to flicker in the room. She corrected herself immediately.

Dr. Bloor didn't take any notice to the flickering lights. _It's an old building,_ she reminded herself, _and the lights probably flicker all the time._

'Symphony,' her father's voice dragged her out of her thoughts, 'were you _listening_ to Dr. Bloor?'

Symphony blushed and dropped her head, 'I was trying not to eavesdrop,' she lied subtly.

'Ah, is it that, then?' Symphony nodded. 'Well, you're to be in music – just as I was, and your mother intended you to be. You will have to wear a blue cape: blue being for music. You are going to begin in the morning, so you will spend the night here. Other than tonight or when you have detention, you will come home.' Her father filled her in on all the important information she had missed.

Dr. Bloor stood up, 'Come along, Symphony. I will show you to your dormitory, seeing as Matron is nowhere in sight.'

Symphony stood up reluctantly and gave her father a hug. 'Bye, dad,' she said softly, 'I'll miss you.'

'I'll miss you too, Sym,' he said back. His voice dropped into a whisper, 'Be wary of the Bloors and their accomplices. Don't want to end up on the wrong side of things.'

'Promise,' Symphony whispered back.

Dr. Bloor cleared his throat and Symphony released her father's hug. 'Come along – if we don't hurry we'll be late for supper.'

Dr. Bloor led Symphony out of the office, and down the winding, maze-like halls of the academy. Once he had reached the dormitories, he stopped in front of one of the doors.

'This is to be yours, Ms. Prelude,' he said in a deeper, more unfriendly tone, 'Dinner is to be at 6 O'clock sharp. If you are late, you get no food. Light's out will be at 9 O'clock, and you are to be asleep. If Matron catches you awake, then you'll get a detention.'

Symphony, now slightly scared of the big man, just nodded and went in, taking a bed closest to the window.

She eyed the room. It looked like a typical dormitory: 6 beds along one side, and 6 along the other, with some shelving and cabinetry for each person's belongings, with a single window.

In her slight distress, the small bare light bulb in the center of the room went out, and the sunlight disappeared, causing utter darkness. After five minutes, her distress passed and she sighed hopelessly.

Draining the world of light wouldn't get her out of this dreadful school.

She glanced at her wristwatch. 'Well, it's only 4 O'clock – so I've got 2 hours' worth of nothing. Perhaps I should take this opportunity to explore.' Symphony said aloud to herself.

Walking along the hallways, Symphony decided it would be best to try and memorize her way around so she wouldn't get too lost.

She turned down another hallway and _bam_, Bumped straight into another person.

'Sorry, so sorry,' she muttered. She looked at the person she had bumped into. He was a small boy with white hair and ruby red eyes that she found herself lost in in seconds.

The boy fumbled around with a big pair of round glasses and stuck them on his face. 'It's alright. Are you new? My name is Billy. Billy Raven.'

Symphony nodded, 'My name's Symphony.' Billy raised an eyebrow.

'Symphony? That's a peculiar name…' he muttered. Symphony blushed deeply, wishing it wasn't noticeable.

'I suppose…say, what are you doing here? It's the weekend – shouldn't you be at home?'

Billy's eyes fell, 'I haven't got one. I live here at weekends. I'm an orphan and the Bloors are my legal guardians.'

Symphony automatically felt bad for Billy – having to stay at this horrible school all the time. 'Oh. Which department are you in?' She asked, changing the subject to avoid hurting Billy's feelings.

'Music, yourself,' he asked.

'Same,' Symphony admitted, 'How old are you? You look a bit young to be at Bloor's.'

'I'm only 9,' said Billy, 'but the Bloors took me in anyways, seeing as I'm endowed. What about you – are you endowed?'

Symphony grinned slightly, 'Yes – though I prefer people don't know how. It's a rather useless endowment. What is it that you do?'

'I speak to animals, understand them and all that.' Billy explained, 'what were you doing near the boys' dorms anyway?'

'Exploring…isn't it rather boring here all the time with nothing to do?'

'Yes – but I've got some of the animals to talk to. They make for rather good company.'

'Animals,' Symphony questioned pensively. She wasn't too fond of any animal that looked creepy or looked scary.

Billy nodded, 'Well, there's Cook's dog, Blessed, but I 'spose he belongs to Mr. Ezekiel, who calls him Percy. He's rather old, you see. Then there are the rats and the mice…'

Symphony squealed at the words 'rats and mice.' Those were just two kinds of creatures she wasn't too fond of.

'Well anyways, I could show you around, if you'd like,' Billy offered, 'I know this place like the back of my own hand!'

Symphony agreed and they set off. Billy showed her the King's Room ('Where the endowed children must do two hours of homework after supper,' Billy had explained), the music tower which used to be haunted by the Dark Lady (Mrs. Bloor – Billy had said) whom had somehow disappeared, and the doors to the West Wing, which was strictly off limits to every single student other than Manfred Bloor – who was Dr. Bloor's son.

They ended their exploration at precisely 6 O'clock at the dining hall. They would not eat in here tonight, only when the other students showed up. On weekends, Billy ate in the blue canteen.

Billy led Symphony into the blue canteen. The pair was greeted by the delicious aroma of something cooking in the kitchen.

'Billy, darling, is that you?' A voice called from inside the kitchen.

'Yes, Cook, and a friend,' Billy called back.

A tall, plump woman stepped 'round from behind the door. She wore a slightly dirtied apron. 'Ah, hullo,' she greeted, 'My name's Cook! You're new to Bloor's, I take it?'

Symphony nodded as her mouth watered from the scent of food wafting into the room after Cook. 'I'm Symphony," she introduced herself.

'Pleasure to meet you, Symphony,' Cook chirped pleasantly, 'now come and take a seat! I've prepared something nice for you two!'

Billy and Symphony took two adjacent seats and Cook placed in front of them a plate of sausage and chips. Symphony's mouth watered even more.

'Enjoy it,' whispered Billy, 'meals like this are rare here – and they never happen during the week.'

Symphony suddenly wished that she were here on weekends too so she could enjoy these rare meals more often.

Symphony and Billy ate in silence.

Once they were finished, Symphony asked if they could explore some more.

'Can't,' explained Billy, 'Even at weekends Manfred – that's the head boy – makes us do homework until bed.'

Symphony frowned, 'Well…I don't have homework. So what am I to do then?'

'You have to come to the King's room. More than likely, Manfred will give you some work to do – or something to occupy yourself with.'

Billy and Symphony bid a 'so long' to Cook, and were off upstairs, to the right, then the left, then another left to the King's room.

Billy was about to turn the nob to open the door when he froze, 'I should warn you,' he began, 'Manfred is endowed – and his endowment is no doubt dangerous. He can hypnotise, and it's really strong and can last quite some time. _Whatever_ you do: _never_ look into his eyes.'

Symphony gulped, 'Thanks for the warning, Billy.'

Billy nodded and pushed the heavy door open. The room was circular with a long table in the middle. On the far end of the table, at the head, sat a boy with pale skin and black hair that was tied back into a ponytail, highly engrossed in what he was scribbling down in a notebook.

_This is Manfred Bloor, no doubt_, Symphony thought to herself. Her nerves made the lights flicker slightly.

Manfred looked up. Symphony darted her gaze somewhere else, not wanting to accidently get hypnotised.

'Well hullo there…" he said, "You must be Symphony Prelude – how nice to have you here.'

'T-thank you, Manfred,' Symphony said.

'I have some work here for you. Work on it 'till 8 O'clock. If you're not done, you will stay behind late to finish it.' Manfred said in a mean tone.

Symphony nodded and accepted the work from him, still avoiding his glare. She sat down next to Billy at the table, and began to work.

It was a mix of science, math, history, geography and language questions. These slowly made Symphony bored, so she decided to take a break about half-way through and look about.

As she did, her eyes fell on a portrait that hung behind Manfred's head. It was of a loyal looking man, dressed in a red robe and wore a crown on his head.

'The Red King,' she murmured to nobody in particular.

Manfred's head shot up, 'no talking in the King's Room.' He snapped.

Symphony blushed and continued at her boring work.

By the time the clock on the wall chimed 8 O'clock, Symphony was well done her work, and was well over bored.

'You may go. Get ready for bed – the Matron will turn the lights out at 9 O'clock,' Manfred reminded Symphony.

Symphony nodded and excited the King's room abruptly, forgetting she had no idea where she was going.

Lost in thought and lack of memory of the unfamiliar hallways, Symphony suddenly found herself in front of the doors to the West Wing.

There was a great deal of noise from behind the door – much like somebody was trying to pick the lock from the inside.

Curious, Symphony hurried over and peeped through the crack in the big doors. 'Hullo? Is there anybody in there?'

The noise stopped, almost as though whoever was making it had frozen in fear.

'Help,' a little voice called softly, 'help me.'

**So whatcha think? Please R&R!**


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